weston



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. WESTON.

SYSTEM OF ELEGTRIG LIGHTING. No. 804,882. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

Illlk (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. WESTON. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICLIGHTING. No. 304,882. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

v S a N Q e e e a:

x o S m w R I I e Y a,

a A; g Q

a w Q S a S 'Q \Q g Q Q k w e e #E S o Q. e

k t Q w th 0 u 0 e w I 0 Qx O u, x x

e e e *1 m e fittest" [N a E 1 am Filo am w N. PETERS. Phomum a ner,Walhinglon, no

UNTTnn STATES ATENI @rrrcn.

EDIVAED \VESTON, ,OF NEIVARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATESELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 30%,882, datedSeptember 9, 1884-.

Application filed February 1, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W ns'roN, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Systemsof Electric Lighting, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part ofthe same.

In systems of electrical illumination by means of incandescent electriclamps it is often advantageous to connect two or more lamps in series incross or multiple circuits. This arrangement, however, presents certainobjections, the chief of which is that if any one or more lamps of aseries give out or be extinguished the cross-eircuit will. be broken andthe remaining lamps in the series put out. To overcome this objectionvarious systems have been devised for re-establishing the continuity ofthe circuit in which a break has oc curred through a path including aresistance equal to that of the lamp or lamps extinguished. Both manualand automatic means for accomplishing this have heretofore beenproposed. The systems heretofore devised for maintaining the continuityof the crosscircuits and compensating for the extinction of lamps, whileperhaps overcoming the chief objections to the system, make no provisionfor a reduction of the amount of electrical e11- ergy expended. This itis the object of my invention to accomplish. The system form ing thesubject of my invention combines with two or more incandescent lamps inseries devices in part automatic and in part manual, or adapted to beoperated by hand, which are constructed and arranged to introduce intothe circuit a resistance in place of and equal to each lamp cut out orextinguished, and cut out all the resistances when the last lamp of theseries is extinguished.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a switch of peculiarconstruction. I will first, therefore, describe the switch and then showthe manner of its application, referring for this purpose to thedrawings hereto annexed, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of theswitch. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 isa side elevation of the switch with certain parts cut away. Fig. 4 is adiagram illustrative of the system.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresp'ondin g parts.

A is a wooden or insulating base, to which is secured a support, B.Below this are two perforations in the base, through which extendsprings O C, secured to metal plates D D, fixed to the under side of thebase.

Passing through. the support or frame B is a vertical spindle, E,turning in a step, E, and provided with a key or thumb-piece, F. On thespindle E is a collar, G, that slides freely on the spindle and on. twopins, 11 H, set in the plate A, and passing through ears or lugs on thecollar. The upper edge of the collar G is formed as a double cam, withdepressions or notches at the highest points. A pair of rollers or anyequivalent therefor are carried by the spindle and bear upon the cam.

A spiral spring, K, forces the collar G upward. By turning the key F,therefore, the collar G will be depressed or raised. The lower portionof the collar G presents two fiat or square surfaces, with which thesprings G C are brought into close contact, when, by the manipulation ofthe key, the collar is depressed.

L L are two flanges on the collar above the flat contact-surfaces.

M M are flat sp rings,secured to metal blocks N N on the base A, and areset so as to extend into the path of movement of the flanges 8 5 L L.These parts are so arranged that when the collar is depressed itestablishes the circuit between springs C O and interrupts it betweensprings M lll. Nhen the key is turned to either side out of the notchesin the cam, 0 the collar, by the force of the spring K, is thrownsuddenly upward, breaking the circuit between springs O 0 withoutappreciable spark, and bringing the flanges L L into contact withthesprings M M. Conducting-wires 95 P R are secured to the plates andblocksNN D D, as shown. This instrument or any equivalent to it in thatit makes one circuit on breaking another, I employ in the systeminvented by me.

Referring to Fig. -l, let T V designate the conductors of any circuitwith which a certain number oi'ineandcseent lamps or like devices are tobe counectedin whatis commonly designated. multiple series. Two of suchseries are shown, each comprising an equal though arbitrary number oflamps I) I) Z). in the vicinity of each amp is arranged a switch similarto that shown in l ig. 1, and designated by c c c, and anelectro-magnctie cut out device, I 'I. t, that shown beinga common formconsisting ot an electro-magnet, d, an armature, c, pivoted to a metalpost, f, and a metal back-stop, g, the whole mounted on aninsulating-plate, 71. There is also near each lamp and cut out a coil, k7.; La, oi. the same resistance as one ot' the lamps. A. conductor isrun from wire T and branched, the branch 1 is connected to th inning llof the switch 0, the branch it to the spring 0 of the same switch, andthe branch S to the postfof the cut-out (2. The remainder oi thecircuits thus started, being designated by the letters I. It S,

is easily traced. The spring iii of the switch c is connected to springM of the next switch 0, and so on, the spring h oi the last switch ofthe series being connected to the conductor V by a wire connected with acut-out,m,similar to those described, but ot' very high resistance. Thespring t) of the iirst switch 0 is connected to one of the terminals oithelamp Z) by a conductor, it, including the cut-out t. From the otherterminal of thelamp the wire It leads to spring (I of switch 0, and soon, the last lamp terminal being connect edto the backstop got' thecut-out in. One terminal of the resistance-coil li connect ed to theback-stop ol' the contact '1, the other to the wire it between the lampt; and switch c,and also to the post of the second cut-out 1, and so on.The terminal of the last coil of the series isjoined to wire it betweenthe last lamp and the back stop 5 of cut-out in. The same order and planof connections is made whatever the number of lamps in series.

The operation oi the system is as l'ollows: If all the switches beturned so as to complete the circuit between springs tit) and i ntcrruptthat between M. hi, then all the lamps will be in circuit, all. thecut-out magnets energized, and all the resistance-coils cut out. Inother words, the path. for the current will be through the circuit italone. This is the condition of things represented by the lower orright-hand series of lamps in llig..-t. Should one of the lamps, as '1),be turned out by its switch, the continuity of circuit it is interruptedbut immediately reestablished by the armature of the cut-out t, whichfalls and completes the circuit around the lamp and through the resistance 7r. .ly this means no disturbance is caused, as all. the otherlamps will receive the same amount of current as before. The act ot'turning the switch 0 completes the connectionbetween spring M of switch0 and spring M of switch 0. Circuit i. still remains broken at twopoints, however, in switches c and a. One or more of the lamps in theseries may be turned oil with similar results. "When the last lamp ofthe series is turned oil, the circuit I, through the springs M M, of allthe switches is completed. The magnet oi the cutout is then energizedand the resistance-oi rcuitrl i n terrn pt ed. The circu i t 1?, beingoi'very high resistance, and. the only one remaining complete, allowsbut little current to pass; hence there is no appreciable loss ofenergy. it will be observed that by turning any one of the switches fromtheir positions shown in the upper or left hand series of Fig. 1-, thelamp corresponding to it will be at once rendered active by the ruptureof the circuit 1?.

I have described this system as adapted for running ordinaryincandescentlamps. 1 may, however, employ other forms of lamp oreleetrical devices operating in an etplivalent manner.

The special features of novelty shown and described herein in connectionwith the switch mechanism I do not claim herein, as they have been madethe subject of other applications tiled or to be tiled.

\Vithout confining myself to any special form or arrangement of themechanical. elc mcnts herein shrnvn in illustration oi the principle oimy invention, what I new claim is- .1.. The combination, with a circuitand a series of electric lamps included therein, of a series ofresistance-coils, devices for interposing the resistance-coils in theplace of the lamps when extinguished, a supplemental circuit 01' highresistance, a device included therein for interrupting the lamp-eircuit,and means for closing or completing thesupplemental circuit, and therebyinterrupting the lamp-cireuit, when all the lamps are extinguishct'l,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a main circuit, cross or multiple-arc eircuiis, and series ot'elcctrio lamps included in the (moss-circuits, 01. aseries of resistancocoils, one l'or each lamp, devices for inter-posingthe resistance-coils in the place of the lamps when extinguished, supplemental. cross-oi reuits of high resistance, de vices included therein.tor interrupting the lamp-circuits, and means for closing oreo1npleting the supplemental circuits, and thereby interrupting thecorresponding lamp-cirtaiits, when all the lamps ol. such circuits areext-inguished, substantially as set :l'orth.

3. In a multiple-series system, the combina tion, with the translatingdevices ofresistaneccoils in circuits around said devices, supplementalcrosscircuits of high resistance, containing devices for interrupting,when the supplemeutal circuits are closed, the cross-circuits includingthetranslatin devices, switch mechanism for cutting out the translatingdevices and constructed to close at the same time breaks in therunppleinenta'l. circuits, and elec IIO tro-magnetic devices forbringing in the resistance-circuits when the translating devices are cutout, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. A system of electrical distribution,wherein the lamps or similartranslating devices are connected with the circuit in multiple series,each series being combined with the following instrumentalities andparts, arranged in the manner specified, to wit: resistance-coils to beinserted in place of lamps withdrawn, electro-magnetic shunting devicesin circuit with the lamps and operating to bring in the resistance-coilsonthe withdrawal of lamps, a supplemental circuit of high resistance, anelectro-magnetic device included therein for interrupting thelamp-circuit when energized by the closing of the supplemental circuit,and switches connected with both lamp and supplemental circuits, andconstructed to close a break in the latter when operated for cutting outone of the lamps;

1n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day ofJanuary, 1884.

EDXVARD VESTON.

WVitnesses:

W. FRIsBY, W. H. I'IARTLEY.

